Full Article: https://thebluestateconservative.com/2021/08/05/why-we-are-hesitant-to-be-vaccinated/
By David Robb
There is a strong push from various authorities to have everyone accept the COVID vaccines. There is also strong opposition from much of the population; resisting an experimental biological agent misidentified as a vaccine.
The proponents of the so-called vaccines declare that they are safe, effective, and have been approved by the FDA, so the only reason for not getting vaccinated must be that those who resist are simply misinformed. They see their mission as being to find out what misunderstandings exist and demonstrate how wrong these beliefs are. The idea is that once all the false information is corrected, people will give up their objections and become vaccinated. They assert that only when everyone is vaccinated and can present proper documentation, can life return to some semblance of normality, with freedom to travel and to participate fully in society.
The proponents believe that there is a great deal of misinformation being spread about the risks of the vaccines. They feel that once this misinformation is corrected and the sources suppressed, then people will give up their false beliefs. There is an underlying assumption that people who oppose vaccination are irrational, gullible, and ignorant, and thereby uncritically accept false information that cult-like leaders propagate. It is the duty of the enlightened elite to lead these unfortunates out of their darkness into the light of truth and correct understanding.
Aside from the fact that such a view is incredibly condescending and contemptuous of those who question these alleged vaccines, the explanations completely miss the real source of the objections. This acceptance/rejection split follows closely the Left/Right split observed throughout our modern society. The Left sees itself as superior in intelligence, understanding, awareness, compassion, and virtually every positive trait imaginable. They characterize the Right as ignorant, stupid, regressive, uninformed, uneducated, morally deficient, and all the other negative traits the Left can project onto them. Thus, we see the Leftist vaccine proponents formulating a patronizing explanation for the Right’s refusal of vaccination. True to form, the Left believes their explanation to be correct and don’t bother to actually question and understand.
Let us enlighten them.
First, let us look at the claim of safety. The VAERS website maintained by the government’s own Health and Human Services agency provides information on adverse reactions to all vaccines used in the US. As of this date, almost 12,000 deaths directly resulting from the three COVID vaccines being administered have been reported in the seven months that the vaccines have been in use.
In the 30+ years that the VAERS system has been in existence, just over 6,000 deaths total have been reported for all other vaccines. This is about 200 deaths per year for all vaccines, including smallpox, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and every other vaccine. In previous vaccine trials, the FDA has stopped trials of prospective vaccines at 50 deaths, declaring that those vaccines do not meet safety criteria. Does anyone want to seriously argue that vaccines which are 240 times more lethal are safe?
Further, since reporting in the VAERS system is voluntary, most experts consider that the VAERS system undercounts actual events by a factor of at least 5 and as much as a factor of 100. In other words, it is probable that the actual number of dead from the vaccines is closer to 60.000 and could be as much as 1.2 million. That latter figure is twice the number the CDC claims for the total US deaths due to COVID itself. This does not even take into account the number of other adverse events reported, including long-term disability, hospitalizations, and thrombosis, among others.
This is not misinformation, this is science – real science that the Left is trying to dismiss, discount, or even label as outright lies, yet is provided by the government’s own sources.
Why should anyone believe a claim that these experimental biological agents mislabeled as vaccines are safe?
A similar situation exists with the claim that the vaccines are effective. The CDC has recently acknowledged that people who are fully vaccinated can still get COVID, can still die of a COVID infection, and can infect others with COVID. They dance around these facts by claiming that the vaccines reduce the likelihood of infection, that they reduce the severity of the infection, and that those who die had lots of other conditions that may have been the actual cause of death.
The statistics are difficult to come by, and are often hidden in lots of other data, but even the CDC reports that approximately 75% of new COVID cases in at least one situation were in fully-vaccinated individuals. They offer the excuse that no vaccine is fully effective, so we should expect some level of what they call breakthrough cases. They claim that the vast majority of these breakthrough cases have shown only few or mild symptoms and that proves the vaccines work.
Never mind that unvaccinated people who contract COVID also have few or only mild symptoms. Never mind that only a small fraction of the population has exhibited COVID symptoms at all. Ignore the fact that the CDC mandated that every death with even a hint of COVID was to be counted as a COVID-caused death regardless of the fact that most people who died had other lethal comorbidities.
Consider that countries across the world are also gathering data on both infections and vaccinations. Iceland and Israel, two countries with over 80% of their populations vaccinated, are now reporting that the great majority of new COVID cases, including hospitalizations, are in people who are fully vaccinated. Iceland is currently reporting that over 70% of new COVID cases are in the fully vaccinated. Israel has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and is reporting almost 90% across the board infections among the fully vaccinated.
A recent report from Massachusetts showed that there were over 5,100 breakthrough cases with 80 deaths, for a death rate of over 1.5%. This is about three times the death rate for unvaccinated COVID infections even without treatment. There is much more that could and should be said, but this should provide at least an outline of why there is such resistance to vaccination.
Can anyone say with a straight face that vaccinations are anywhere close to effective? Even the vaccine producers, in their FDA filings have stated that the vaccines don’t prevent infection – that they may only reduce the severity of the infection. Why should any rational person believe that the vaccines are effective?
Finally, there are the claims that the vaccines are approved. The only approval these vaccines have is from those who are promoting them. The FDA has only given them an experimental use authorization (EUA) This is far from approval. Many of the vaccine proponents are suggesting that use of the term “authorization” is just quibbling, and that the FDA has really approved this experimental substance for general use. After all, millions have been vaccinated with no problem at all. How could that happen if these substances weren’t approved?
Notice, though, that throughout the government agency websites, they are careful to use the word “authorized” when they speak of the vaccines, as though we were too stupid to notice. It appears that the only ones suffering from that condition are the vaccine proponents – the experimental substance deniers.
One of the conditions for an EUA is that there be no approved therapeutic available for the disease. Hundreds of studies worldwide have shown that there are at least half a dozen effective therapeutics, including ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, and remdesivir that have been used successfully in Mexico, India, Africa, and elsewhere. Yet the FDA has resisted approval of any of these substances and protocols. Does the fact that if they approve a therapeutic for COVID, then they would have to terminate the EUAs, and the vaccinations would have to stop factor in at all?
Why do the CDC and other agencies continue to downplay or even deny the superior protection afforded by recovery from a COVID infection? Why do they ignore data that shows that probably over 80% of the population has had a COVID infection in the past and recovered? Could it be that we have already crossed the threshold of herd immunity? Yes, even with herd immunity, some people would still get sick, but herd immunity just means that the epidemic won’t spread uncontrolled. Why do the vaccine proponents insist that everyone must get vaccinated even if they have recovered from an infection and even if the risks of adverse reactions are much higher for those who have recovered?
The hesitancy is because the government and its vaccine proponents have been lying to us and have been lying about lying to us. They have broken trust and have done nothing to acknowledge that breach nor to repair it. There is a vulgar expression that captures the appropriate response to such dishonesty: “Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining.” Until the authorities stop lying and start addressing the objections honestly, we will continue to resist.
Of course, one thing the Left cannot tolerate is what they see as defiance. Authorities have effectively said “we’ve asked nicely, we’ve been encouraging, we’ve tried shaming you, we’ve offered inducements. We’ve even tried bribing you to get vaccinated. Yet you still resist. It’s time for the gloves to come off. No more Mr. Nice Guy. If you continue to defy us, we will make your life hell. You won’t be able to go out for dinner. You won’t be able to go into a grocery store. You won’t be able to travel anywhere, you won’t be able to work. You won’t even be able to leave your house unless you get vaccinated. At some point we will send out strike teams to jab anyone who continues to resist. You have no rights – your body belongs to us.”
Yes, the vaccine proponents don’t have a clue as to the real reasons for resistance and would be unlikely to care even if they did. Just in case, though, they should read this essay and consider that perhaps those Right-wing Neanderthals just might know something the Left doesn’t, and might have some good reasons for their positions. Maybe it is time for the Left to admit they are wrong, although I won’t hold my breath.
By David Robb
David Robb is regular contributor to The Blue State Conservative and a practicing scientist who has been working in industry for over 50 years. One of his specialties is asking awkward questions. A large part of his work over the years has involved making complex scientific issues clear and understandable to non-specialists. Sometimes he even succeeds.